Novel Virus
Since every
description of the “COVID-19” Coronavirus I’ve found uses the
term “novel” I spent the afternoon searching for even one
source easily available to the public online that explains what novel means and why it’s important for people to understand
it. (This is what happens to a linguist with time on her hands).
Prepare to
be underwhelmed. (But, just think of all the time I just saved you!)
From Wikipedia:
“Novel
virus refers to a virus not
seen before. It can be a virus that is isolated from its reservoir or isolated
as the result of spread to an animal or human host where the virus had not been
identified before. It can be an emergent virus, one that represents a new
strain, but it can also be an extant virus not previously identified. The virus
also may come up just as the results of genetic make up mutations under various
causative and thus being unnoticed by human it may be lethal.”
WHO:
“Novel influenza
infections are those due to influenza viruses that differ from strains
currently circulating among humans. The table below
distinguishes
the Asian-origin H5N1 and H7N9 viruses, which have caused fatal human cases
outside of the U.S., and highly-pathogenic
avian
influenza H5 and H7 viruses (U.S. strains H5N1, H5N2, H5N8, H7N8, H7N9), which
are not known to infect humans.”
*But they do have a very cool video
explaining the virus.
CDC
“Viruses of Special Concern
A novel influenza A virus is one that has caused human
infection, but is different from current seasonal human influenza A viruses
that circulate among people. Novel influenza A viruses are usually influenza A
viruses that circulate among animals. Some novel influenza A viruses are
believed to pose a greater pandemic threat than others and are more concerning
to public health officials because they have caused serious human illness and
death and also have been able to spread in a limited manner from person-to-person.
Novel influenza A viruses are of extra concern because of the potential impact
they could have on public health if they gain the ability to spread easily from
person to person, which might cause the next influenza pandemic. Human
infection with a novel influenza A virus is a nationally notifiable condition
reportable to CDC. The text below summarizes the novel influenza A viruses that
are currently most concerning to public health officials.”
You can skip the definition lawyers concoct:
Influenza A, novel virus means infection of a human with an influenza A
virus subtype that is different from currently circulating human influenza H1
and H3 viruses. Novel subtypes include H2, H5, H7, and H9 subtypes or influenza
H1 and H3 subtypes originating from a nonhuman species.
How about some local health departments?
Texas
Q:
What is novel/variant influenza A virus?
A: A novel/variant influenza A virus is an influenza A virus subtype that is different from currently circulating human influenza H1 and H3 viruses. Novel subtypes include, but are not limited to H2, H5, H7 and H9 subtypes. Influenza H1 and H3 subtypes originating from a non-human species or from genetic reassortment between animal and human viruses are also novel/variant subtypes.
A: A novel/variant influenza A virus is an influenza A virus subtype that is different from currently circulating human influenza H1 and H3 viruses. Novel subtypes include, but are not limited to H2, H5, H7 and H9 subtypes. Influenza H1 and H3 subtypes originating from a non-human species or from genetic reassortment between animal and human viruses are also novel/variant subtypes.
Minnesota
Flu viruses constantly change
and mutate. Novel and variant influenza A viruses can infect and cause severe
respiratory illness in humans. These influenza viruses are different from
currently circulating human influenza A virus subtypes and include influenza
viruses from predominantly avian and swine origin.
Minnesota Dept of Health https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/flu/current/index.html
New
York State
The 2019 novel coronavirus is a
new virus and shouldn’t be confused with other coronaviruses that have been
around for many years causing upper respiratory symptoms, like the common cold.
NYS Dept of Health https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/
One source that comes close to explaining the significance of "novel" uses an easy to read narrative.
What we do and don’t know about the novel
coronavirus:
Experts
from the Vet School, Med School, and Center for Public Health Initiatives
provide insight into the new disease outbreak.
“Until a month ago, it’s possible to never have heard of
coronavirus, despite the fact that science has known about this family of
seven viruses since the 1960s. Four are common, causing mild or
moderate respiratory symptoms like a runny nose and sore throat, all of which
dissipate quickly.
In the past few decades, however, several new coronaviruses
have emerged, originating in animals and jumping to humans. In the early 2000s,
it was severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which lead to almost 800
deaths. A decade later Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) came about,
which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, killed
approximately three out of every 10 patients with the virus.
In late December, news started to spread of a new disease
originating in Wuhan, China. Since then, at the time of publication,
132 people have died from novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). China has
confirmed 6,061 cases, with many more in other countries. The United States has
so far identified five. “
No comments:
Post a Comment